I'm still not over with my recent Bohol travel write up, it's just a fitting backdrop to ease your stress away. Amidst the beauty and glory that is Bohol are hidden gems tucked away from the city's hustle and bustle. One of which is Bluewater Panglao and I can't help but share all the grandiose experiences from the province.
To see my hotel review of Bluewater Panglao kindly click on the link below:
The three-day tour I had with my new-found media friends was one that will stay in my memory bank forever. With the adventure, warm welcome, the serene sights and of course the food that defines the culinary culture of Bohol, the accommodation chosen for us also summed up these things.
All thanks to Bluewater Panglao for the unparalleled kindness they show to all their resort guests. Of course the stellar stay were coupled with a gustatory delight from their in house restaurant and bar, Aplaya.
Customer service is superb, as what you can always expect Boholanos to show.
Though I missed my kitchen and cooking for my family, their in house restaurant didn't fail to whet my cravings - the cravings I had for my Papa's and Lola's dishes since I've been cooking and writing about food.
I had several pleasurable experiences locked in my memory bank, and hopefully I could bring my parents here someday.
Dinner by the beach...
After touring some districts in Bohol, including Carmen, which happens to be the heart of the province (because it geographically lies in the middle of Bohol), we retired for the day with a romantic set up at the beach. A cordon of light bulbs covered in bamboo tubes with decorative holes gave an obtuse lighting effect. It was the only spot which wass lighted, except for one hut for the spa and the Aplaya building, about a few meters away from our dining table.
Many memorable and touching moments might have happened here. Probably the same-weathered night with hidden speakers where a love song being played on while a man braces himself up to declare his love and asking for that ultimate relationship spectacle question, with which answer - I do, expected.
But for now, we just savored first the hefty dinner that was prepared for us. The Pumpkin/Squash Soup really prepared our appetite for a unforeseen meat binge.
Another hit among our group is the Grilled Eggplant Salad in Lemon and Bohol local vinegar, with tomatoes and onions.
Fried Rice for dinner? Why not, as long as it had a couple of crunchy and sinfully delightful Lechon Kawali.
Fried Fish in Sweet and Sour soy based sauce, flavor elevated with ginger and leeks shavings.
Visayan cuisine is as usual highlighted in this dinner, thus Humba and Sinubang Manok with a licorice barbeque sauce.
Another perfectly done "sugba" or "sinugba", a usual dish during fiesta. The Grilled Pusit made us all gasped and wailed "wow", how can you not!
Of course, a typical Visayan meal course is not complete without a stir-fried vegetables, in this case, Pinakbet.
Dessert was astounding too. I was overjoyed when I saw "Ube Halaya", one of my fave native delicacy served on a cassava wafer they call "cabcab". On the same plate is a mango ball topped Cassava cake.
Buffet Breakfast
I remembered when I was at Camiguin, I had an absolute breakfast quite similar to what I had first at Aplaya - there's a stress there on the word "first", coz I was back many times at the buffet.
Tsikwate (in Camiguin) familiarly known as Visayan hot chocolate, has that distinct dark and rustic chocolatey flavor similar to Bohol's traditional hot chocolate drink, which they call sikwate.
Aside from the hot chocolate, I was also served with their local brew. But you have to take note though that they have several brews, sourced not only from their locally grown coffee beans. They also make coffee out of roasted rice and corn.
Ala Carte Lunch
To see my hotel review of Bluewater Panglao kindly click on the link below:
Aplaya Restaurant and Bar
Address: Bluewater Rd, Sitio Daurong,
Brgy. Danao, Panglao, 6340 Bohol.
Contact Numbers: (038) 416-0702 and (038) 416-0695 to 96
Fax: (038) 416-0697
Email: panglao@bluewater.com.ph
Website: www.bluewaterpanglao.com.ph
Manila sales office: Rm. 704, Cityland Herrera Tower,
Rufino cor. Valera Sts., Salcedo Village,
1227 Makati City, M.M.
Tel: (632) 817-5751 and (632) 887-1348
Fax: (632) 893-5391